Aggression Booklet 3: Ethological explanation Flashcards
What are the 3 sections of ethological explanation ao1?
-IRM’s
-FAP’s
-FAP features
What does ethological mean 💭?
It means the study of animal behaviour in natural settings
What are the overall basics of the ethological explanation of aggression?
-Looks at animal behaviour to help us understand human aggression
-Konrad Lorenz founder of ethology
What are Innate releasing mechanisms?
-A suggestion by Lorenz that animals have an innate mechanism for aggression
-IRMs are ➡️ hard-wired brain networks that respond to specific stimuli from the environment by initiating a set sequence of behaviour ⬅️ (Important phrase)
What is an exmaple of an innate releasing mechanism?
-A male stickleback fish responds to the stimuli of a red underbelly with the set sequence of behaviours being aggression
What is a quite funny alternate example of an innate releasing mechanism?
Turtles often respond to dark colours with aggression by ramming their heads and attacking the dark colour
This is an innate behaviour they have to protect eggs from predators like snakes and crows
Who tested the IRM for stickleback fish?
Tinnbergen
What did Tinnbergen find?
-He presented wooden models of different shapes to male stickleback fish
-No matter what the shape was, they would attack if model had a red sport on underbelly
-Model wouldn’t be attacked without red sport, even if model was identical to fish
What is the name given to the specific stimuli that animals respond to?
These specific stimuli that animals respond to are known as “sign stimulus” (red spot on the underbelly is a sign stimulus)
What did Lorenz suggest about levels of aggression?
That levels of aggression will build up continually in all animals until there is an opportunity for a release, in most social animal species there are often opportunities to release this aggression safely
(Tigers play fight with siblings, meerkats fight within families, men and women do moderately aggressive sport)
What is a Fixed Action Pattern?
A sequence of behaviours that occurs through a species, it’s important that almost all members of the same species act in this same way
What word is used to described the way that all members of a species act in the same way?
It is universal (but species-specific) behaviour
How did Tinbergen find a FAP?
He found that ALL male sticklebacks responded in this aggressive way to red underbellies, showing the behaviour is universal and a FAP
Why do ethologists suggest FAP’s are adaptive?
Because they enhance our chances of survival and reproductive success. For example, male sticklebacks act the way they do to ward off threats and increase chance of protecting environment to pass on genes
What is the acronym to remember the 6 features of FAPs?
USA BUS 🚌
